


It's A Nice Day To Start Again

by pinkevilbob



Category: Hades (Video Game 2018)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Gen, Marriage of Convenience
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-22
Updated: 2021-02-13
Packaged: 2021-03-10 01:20:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,836
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27665327
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pinkevilbob/pseuds/pinkevilbob
Summary: Ok, so! Zagreus is the disappointing son of hotel mogul, Hades. Zagreus tried to leave that life but failed miserably.Dusa is the adorable custodian who is in over her head.Pink is the author who doesn't know what she is doing, but is doing it anyways.Will they be able to figure out a way to get what they need? (I mean, Pink probably won't, but there may be hope for Zagreus and Dusa)
Relationships: Dusa & Zagreus (Hades Video Game)
Comments: 15
Kudos: 19





	1. Chapter 1

Zagreus stared at the floor, his heartbeat thundering in his ears. He could barely focus on his father's lecture. It was all about how much of a fool Zagreus was anyways and he could almost recite it by heart for how often his father would give it. Only the details were changed slightly. That he was silly and childish to try to live out in the world by himself and that him returning to his father's hotel was inevitable.

"Are you even listening to me?" Hades demanded.

"Yes, Father. I was listening to you berate me and going on about how I'll never measure up and make it on my own. I was listening," Zagreus said.

Hades tutted and glared down at his son. "You should consider yourself lucky that I'm even willing to let you come back and have your old job again."

It was a struggle for Zagreus to not roll his eyes. "Yes, thank you for my demeaning dead end job. I'm eternally grateful for it and to you."

"You're pressing your luck, boy," Hades said standing up, looming even more above his son.

Zagreus gritted his teeth. "Thank you, father. I'll take my leave now." He turned without waiting for a response and left the room letting the door slam behind him. It was petty, but it was the only way to rebel he had left.

Nyx stood by the door. "I take it that your conversation went as well as expected."

"You know me and Father. He never listens. I'm an adult now and-" Zagreus stopped speaking. There was no point in defending himself. He was an adult and the first chance he got, he left. Only to come back in the most humiliating way possible.

"I know this has all been very difficult for you, but I do believe that he does care about you," Nyx said.

Zagreus smiled weakly. "You think so?" He didn't know how to act with her anymore. For years he'd been told that she was his mother, but it never felt quite right, quite true. There was an unexplainable feeling that there was someone waiting for him out in the world. So what should've been a shocking reveal was received with merely a quiet 'huh'. Nyx loved him, Zagreus knew that much, but it felt strange now.

"You have so much potential in you." Nyx reached out towards him perhaps to offer comfort, but Zagreus took a step back. "It's just not time yet."

"No it is not," Zagreus said sullenly. He was starting to wonder if it was always going to not be the right time yet. "I'm going to take a walk."

Nyx gave him a hesitant smile. "Of course. Perhaps you could take Cerberus with you."

For a moment, Zagreus was tempted to balk at the suggestion, but the old guard dog could use some exercise and Zagreus did love Cerberus. “Perhaps,” he said and waved her goodbye.

The grand hotel had once served as Zagreus’s personal playground when he was a child and he could find his way around with his eyes closed. But now it felt more like his prison. Using his knowledge of the hotel, he avoided everyone there. Zagreus wasn’t ready to talk to anyone about his return and he knew that no one would want to talk about anything else. Fortunately, no one would be using the service stairs at that time. He took them two at a time, but as he got closer to the ground floor, he started to hear crying.

Seated at the bottom of the stairs was Dusa, the hotel's little custodian. She was always nice to Zagreus even if she was shy and a little flighty. Her head was in her hands and she was sobbing. The sight of it made his heart ache for her.

“What’s the matter?” he asked softly. Zagreus searched his pockets, but he couldn’t find anything that would make for a suitable handkerchief.

Dusa looked up and gasped. “Master Zagreus!” She quickly got up and fell backwards.

Without thinking, Zagreus moved forward and caught her. Dusa was so small and light in his arms. For a moment, it was as if time had stopped. And then it flowed again. Zagreus helped Dusa back onto her feet conscious of the tears still in her eyes. “Oh, I’m sorry,” Zagreus said, uncertain on what he should do or even say.

“Oh, it’s fine,” Dusa said hurriedly wiping the tears away from her eyes. But more tears followed them. “I’m fine. Nothing for you to worry about here. Really.”

"Are you certain?" Zagreus asked.

Dusa wiped at her eyes again. "Yeah. Yeah. I'm fine. Nothing for you to worry about. Not that you were worrying or anything cause I'm not worrying about anything cause I’m fine. I should be going." She took a step back and then ran up the stairs.

Zagreus reached forward to stop her, but she was already gone. "What was that about?" he asked out loud. Though, it wasn't unusual for Dusa to suddenly hurry off for one place or another. The hotel worked her too hard if anyone asked Zagreus for his opinion which no one ever did.

With a sigh, Zagreus started to return to checking on Cerberus when he noticed a letter on the ground. He picked it up thinking little of it and scanned it for its owner. "...and we regret to inform you that your working visa will not be renewed." Zagreus did a double take. Who at the hotel was there on a working visa? Reading it more carefully he found the intended recipient. Dusa.

His heart dropped. Dusa was always talking about how she loved her job and being there at the hotel. No wonder she was crying. It didn't feel fair. She was the hardest worker at the hotel and from what little he knew, she didn't have anywhere to go back in her home country of Asphodel. Zagreus nearly crumpled the letter in his hands, but stopped himself. Dusa probably still needed it. But even more, she needed a way to stay in the country, which meant Zagreus needed to come up with a plan.

* * *

Dusa searched everywhere in her small apartment in the hotel's basement for her letter of deportation. Well, she wasn't being deported yet, but it would be coming soon. She thought that she had done everything right for her working vise to be renewed, but that wasn't the case apparently. And now she had lost the letter with all the details.

She knew that she had it the day before when she spoke to Zagreus, but after that, she couldn't remember what she had done with it after that. It felt like her luck. Dusa could never get anything right.

A knock at her door interrupted her panicked searching. “Coming!” she squeaked. It took Dusa a moment to calm down enough to answer the door.

“Hello Dusa,” Zagreus said standing at the door. He was particularly well dressed in a red button down shirt with a black tie.

“You look nice today,” Dusa said. “Doing anything special today?”

Zagreus smiled and Dusa could see why so many of the staff had a crush on him. “Just bring this to you.” He handed her her visa letter.

“You found it! Thank you! I’ve been looking everywhere for it,” Dusa said.

“Also this.” Zagreus got down on one knee and pulled out a small velvety box. Dusa had a feeling she knew where he was going with this, but she was too baffled to even think. “Dusa, will you marry me?”

Her brain went completely blank and took a moment to reboot. Once her brain caught up with everything, Dusa blushed and waved her hands in front of her like that would undo this mess. “What-what are you doing?! And out where everyone can see you. Get in, get in.” Dusa shepherded Zagreus into her apartment. “What are you doing?” she asked again as she sat him down at her table.

“I’m proposing to you,” Zagreus said simply as though it should’ve been obvious. Which it kind of was, but it was still completely unexpected.

“But why? We don’t have that kind of relationship. I mean, I like you, but we’re friends. Unless, you don’t think we’re friends, of course. But I’m definitely certain that we’re not more than friends,” Dusa said slowly backing away.

Zagreus set the ring box on the table. “Yes, I know we’re only friends and we are friends, but I saw the letter. Dusa, I can’t just let you be deported like that.”

Dusa’s hands shook and she couldn’t think straight. “I don’t want me to be deported either. But it’s really nothing you need to worry about. Really. I’ll figure something out. But that doesn’t explain why you’re proposing?”

“Well, I did some research last night and if you were married to a citizen, then you would be a citizen too.” Zagreus rubbed the back of his neck. “Look, I care about you. So I’m willing to do whatever I can to help you.”

“Zagreus.” Dusa’s breath hitched. “I-I don’t know what to say. I mean, this is very sweet of you and means a lot to me, but you can’t do this.”

Zagreus tilted his head to the side. "Why not?"

"Because! There's a lot of reasons! You don't really love me, and I'm beneath you. No one would believe that you'd actually want to marry someone like me. We don't know each other that well and we're awfully young to be rushing into marriage like this. And there's probably a lot of other people that you'd probably prefer to be marrying right now anyways," Dusa said. She was looking for something to busy herself with, but her apartment was spotless. If nothing else, Dusa was a master of cleaning. "You don't really want to marry me."

He stood up and rested a hand on her arm, almost but not quite touching her. "Yes, I do. I don't care about what others think about being above or below. I like you, Dusa and I don't want to see you go." Zagreus removed his hand and sighed. "Your smile means a lot to me. Despite anything that goes on here, you're always smiling and humming. You mean a lot to me Dusa."

“Oh." It was a gasp and a sigh. No one had ever spoken to her like that. Like she actually was special and worthy of all the praise in the world. She knew she didn't really deserve all those words, but it was sweet of Zagreus. And even more, she could tell that he meant it. "But, but I don't want to keep you from living your life."

"What life? It's not like I'm out in the world doing whatever I wish. Dusa, this is the only thing I can do to help you. To help anyone. Let me have this. No, wait that came out rude." Zagreus started to blush and took a step back holding up his palms. "This is about you. I don't want to force you or anything, but I think this could work. To keep you here. And who knows, maybe it would get my father off my back." He laughed a little. "Well, not my father, but maybe the gossips."

Dusa found a slightly dusty knickknack and started to try to clean it. "Oh umm, I don't know Zag. It's a big decision and I don't know. What if it doesn't work?"

"If someone thinks it's a sham? Then we'd get fined, but it won't be a sham. We'll fill out all the proper paperwork, have a ceremony and stay together. And if you find someone you'd rather be with, then we have a messy divorce where everything is blamed on me. I think most folk would believe that," Zagreus said with that cocky grin of his.

"But, it's an awful lot for you to risk and you'd get nothing out of it. You deserve better than that," Dusa said.

Zagreus looked sheepish and stared at the floor. "Actually, if we did go through with this I'd be able to finally get rid of my dad."

Dusa froze and nearly dropped the kinicknavk. "You're going to kill your father?! Zagreus, that's murder! I can't be any part of this! I'm sorry, but I have to draw a line."

"I meant as my emergency contact or proxy. If I'm married, then instead of my dad making any decisions if I'm in the hospital or jail, it'd be you," Zagreus explained. He seemed so- Dusa wasn't sure what the word was, lighter? Like a heavy burden was on him and he spotted a place where he could finally remove it. "So, it'd be a win-win situation."

She fiddled with her knickknack. It was a little bottle of amber liquid. Zagreus had given it to her years ago when she first started working at the hotel. “What if I’m not ready yet? For that sort of thing?”

“Then, we won’t. I’ll look for other ways for you to stay,” Zagreus said. “It might take some time, but I’ll find something for you.”

The only thing was that she didn’t have time and they both knew it. “Thanks. That’s very sweet of you.”

Zagreus smiled. “You’re welcome. Well, I need to get at it then.” He gave her a little wave and left.

Dusa let out a breath. There was nothing to worry about. If she didn’t come up with anything, Zagreus would. Though, she couldn’t help but notice that he’d left the ring box on her table.


	2. Chapter 2

Research was the cruelest punishment that could be put upon a man. Zagreus already knew this, but the last week had hammered it that fact home for him. He’d spent every spare moment he had researching ways that Dusa could stay in the country without getting married, but all he found was a bunch of dead ends.

“It’s hopeless,” Zagreus said, sagging against the wall.

“What is?” Megaera asked.

Zagreus nearly jumped out of his skin at the sound of her voice. “Ahh! Meg! It’s you.”

“Yes it is,” Megaera said. “What were you talking about being hopeless?”

“Nothing.”

Megaera frowned at him. “It wouldn’t have anything to do with your father, does it?”

Zagreus started to shake his head. “No, it doesn’t have anything to do with-” he paused. “Wait, what about my father? Did you hear something?” A feeling of dread rose in him. Was his father coming up with a new way to make him miserable.

“Not really. Only that he’s disappointed in you again,” Megaera said.

“Oh that’s nothing new. That’s like saying blood is wet.” Zagreus sighed and then got an idea. “Hey, you’re friends with Dusa, right?”

“Yes.” She raised an eyebrow at him. “Why do you ask?”

Zagreus held up his hands. “No need to be suspicious. I just wanted to know if she seemed stressed to you?”

Megaera gave it some thought. “I can’t say I’ve noticed anything out of the ordinary. With how much she does here, a little stressed seems to be normal for her though.”

“Well, yes, but I meant in the last week,” Zagreus said.

She shook her head. “I haven’t had the chance to chat with her this week. Your father has insisted on increasing the security of the hotel and I haven’t had a moment’s peace since. Which is your fault of course.”

“My fault? Really? What makes you say that?”

“The fact that you snuck out in the middle of the night to start your ‘grand adventure’ out in the world.” Megaera folded her arms and gave him a judging glare.

Zagreus rolled his eyes at this. “I’d hardly call it a grand adventure.” He was gone for not even two weeks before everything went wrong and he had to go home.

“What would you call it then?” Megaera asked.

“A failed and desperate escape attempt,” Zagreus said. “But can you keep an eye on Dusa for me?”

Megaera eyed him, but shrugged. “Sure, but why?”

He shrugged back, not looking at her. “I worry about Dusa sometimes. She works too hard and-” Part of him was tempted to tell Megaera about the letter, but it felt wrong to air Dusa’s troubles without her permission. “And she’s a good friend.”

“She’s stronger than she looks. You don’t have to worry about rescuing her,” Magaera said.

“I know,” Zagreus said. Dusa had probably already found a much better solution to her problem than he could come up with. He just needed to relax and act like it was none of his business. But ignoring other people’s problems had never been his strong suit.

* * *

Nothing. Dusa had absolutely nothing. Tears welled up in her eyes as she stared at the letter. The deadline of her visa expiring was fast approaching and she had nothing. Nothing except for the ring box from Zagreus that she didn’t even dare to open.

She considered the idea of just going back to her old country and finding a job there, but just the thought of it sent her into a panic attack. There was no way Dusa could go back there.

Which only left Zagreus’s offer.

Taking a deep breath, Dusa on the velvet box. Sitting innocently in it was a beautiful ring. A small blue topaz flanked on each side by much smaller diamonds. It wasn’t gaudy or flashy. She’d call it understated to almost a fault, but it was perfect for her. Carefully, Dusa slipped the ring on and it was like it was made for her and only her.

That didn’t stop her from feeling like it was a trap. Not for her though; the ring would give her everything she wanted and more than she could ask for. But for Zagreus, it was a cruel trap. Dusa knew how much he craved freedom and how much returning to the hotel hurt him. But she wasn’t ready to leave the hotel and it was a cage for him. The last thing she wanted to do was cause him pain.

A knock sounded at her door. “Oh, coming!” Dusa opened the door to see Megaera standing there. “Hi, Meg! What are you doing here? Not that I mind you being here, but it's rather unexpected."

"It's been awhile since we've last done anything, so I wanted to check on you. Maybe see if you're available," Megeara said.

Dusa relaxed. "That sounds great. I could really use some girl time. Let me grab my coat." She left the door and went to her coat rack humming. "Here!"

Megaera stared at her. "What is that?"

"My coat? I could've sworn you've seen it before," Dusa said. "I've had it for a while."

"No, what’s that on your hand?" Megeara pointed at her hand and the ring sitting on her finger.

Dusa paled. She'd forgotten to take the ring off. "This? Oh, um? It's new." Nothing came to her head. No excuse or plausible explanation.

"Is that an engagement ring?" Megaera asked. Her tone was cold, but not accusatory.

"Yes." Dusa stared at her feet too nervous to move.

"Where did you get that? You're engaged?"

Dusa fiddled with her skirt's hem. "Zagreus gave it to me. It's not really official yet, I mean I haven't really told him yes or anything yet."

Megaera's jaw was slack for a brief moment and then she regained her composure. "Really? You and Zag? Isn't he a bit beneath you?"

"What? No! He's really sweet and kind and he tries really hard no matter what the task is and he'd do anything for a friend. He's a good guy," Dusa said passionately.

Megaera nodded a little. "Yes, but he's not the brightest. I've seen him play tug-of-war with Cerberus with the rope in his mouth."

Dusa chuckled a little. She had seen him do the same thing in her early days of working at the hotel while he was still a teen. "Well, he's grown up a lot since then."

"This was this morning," Megaera said. "I'm not saying he isn't charming. We know that I've fallen for his charm once, but you shouldn't be rushing into this. How long have you been together?"

“Oh, um, a little while I guess. I mean, long enough,” Dusa said.

Megaera frowned. “Do you love him?”

For a moment, Dusa paused. Zagreus was a good friend and a kind soul. She didn’t imagine herself kissing him or anything like that, but she liked being with him. “Yes, I do,” Dusa answered honestly.

“Then I can’t stop you,” Megaera said. “But, if he hurts you, I destroy him.”

Dusa laughed. “Thanks.”

“I’m being serious. Now let’s get those drinks.”

“Oh. I’ll warn Zagreus then,” Dusa said. She began to lock her door and then paused. Megaera thought that Dusa was really engaged to Zagreus. And Dusa hadn’t fought it. The idea of being with him even for a short while was a pleasant one. Also, it wasn’t like this marriage had to last forever. A hum came to her lips. Maybe Zagreus’s idea wasn’t so bad after all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so I'm a bit ahead on this fic. I'm currently working on chapter 5/6 at the moment. I kinda know what I'm doing and am kind of winging things at the same time, so yeah.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh hey, I actually remembered about this fic and updated it. Sorry about this long wait.

The next day was a busy one for Zagreus. He didn’t even realize that so much paper could exist. “Hnngh, this is never going to end,” Zagreus grumbled.

"Can I take your trash basket?" Dusa asked.

He perked up. "Of course! How are you doing?"

Dusa shrugged with a frown. "Okay, I guess. I mean, I can be better, but I'm not miserable or anything. Not that I have any reason to be miserable."

"Yes, you do. You're not in a fair position. Have you figured a way to stay in the country?" Zagreus asked.

"Umm, yes, I guess I did." Dusa held up her left hand revealing the ring he gave her. "That is if you're still offering. I mean, it's okay if you’ve changed your mind."

Zagreus shook his head emphatically. "No, I haven't. Dusa, I'll do everything I can to make this work."

"Oh, I know you will," Dusa said. And there wasn't even a fraction of doubt in her voice. She actually believed in him and wasn't that the strangest thing?

"So um, when is the deportation date? We'll need to get married at least a week before then," Zagreus said. A nervous energy was building in his stomach.

Dus gave it some thought. "It should be in a month and a half, I think. But are you sure we're not rushing this?"

Zagreus shrugged one shoulder. "Since we can't really wait, I don't think so mate." He paused for a moment. "So, who should we tell first?"

"Well, umm, that is, I already told Meg," Dusa said, not looking him in his eye.

Zagreus chuckled. "Really? Before you even told your fiance?"

"Well, she was asking me all these questions and I let it spill. I hadn't even decided until then," Dusa said.

"So she knows that we're doing this to keep you in the country?" Zagreus asked.

Dusa shook her head sending his hair flying and Zagreus couldn't help but smile at how cute it was. "No! I mean! We have to be careful with letting people know. Loose lips sink ships and stuff."

Zagreus nodded. "Right, makes sense. So we're to tell no one then?"

"If we don't want this to be considered a sham, I think so," Dusa said.

"Who do we want to tell first? If we go with Hypnos, then everyone would know by the morning," Zagreus said and he winced. "I should probably tell Father rather than risk letting someone else tell him about this."

"Yeah, family should probably be told first. I mean, not my family. I kinda don't have one. Not that it's a big deal or anything. It doesn't bother me, but we don't have to tell anyone for my sake. But, we should tell your mother and father first," Dusa aid.

Zagreus frowned. "My mother and father, right. Dusa, I should tell you something."

She looked up at him with her big eyes. "Yes?"

"About my mother, Nyx, she's not really my mother. That is, she did raise me and I'm grateful to her, but she's not my birth mother," Zagreus said. Dusa giggled a little. "Why are you laughing?"

"Oh, well, you see, I already knew. People don't always pay attention to me while I'm cleaning and will talk about nearly anything with me standing right there." Dusa smirked a little. "You should hear half the gossip I've heard. I mean, not that I'd spread anything that is too secretive or personal. I’ve told no one about your mother."

Zagreus smiled and shook his head. Dusa was full of more surprises than he had expected. "I suppose I should thank you for that. But, it's okay. I don't know how much I want to keep it secret."

"Huh? Why not? I mean, I shouldn't pry and I'm not trying to, but it feels like it's supposed to be a big secret and all that," Dusa said.

"It's hard to explain. Sometimes I don't want anyone else to know that I'm looking for her, but other times I want to tell everyone everything I know about her and ask if they know where she's gone," Zagreus said. He huffed out a sigh. "It doesn't make any sense does it?"

Dusa shook her head. "No, I think I understand. I mean I don't know how you feel, but it's complicated."

He laughed. "Very. I don't even know if she wants to be found, but I have to find her."

"That's why you left? I mean, I shouldn't be asking. It's none of my business," Dusa said.

"We are getting married, so I suppose that my business kinda will be your business. And yes, that's why I left." And a lot of good it did him. He was no further than he was when he'd left.

Dusa played with her ring. "Oh right. Well, I really hope that you find her one day and that she's worthy of you."

"Worthy of me?" Zagreus asked.

"You deserve a good mom. I mean, you already have Lady Nyx as your mom, so you deserve two good moms," Dusa said.

"I don't know if anyone would agree with you there." His father certainly wouldn't. "We should probably tell my father now and get it over with."

Dusa nodded. "Right!" She skipped over to his side and then took a step back. "So um, should we hold hands or something? That's what couples do, right?"

Zagreus's throat tightened, and he wobbled on his feet a little. This was a lot more real than he had first intended it to be. It was supposed to be a game and nothing more, but if he was to be any help to Dusa he had to take this seriously. "Oh, yes of course."

Dusas' hand was cool to the touch and fit neatly inside his much larger one. "Right. Normal couple doing normal couple things. Nothing weird about this." But her hand trembled in his.

"If you don't want to do this, we don't have to," Zagreus said. "We can call it off. Or maybe find you a better spouse? Meg might be willing."

"No no!" Dusa shook her head fiercely. "She'd just worry and then go on about obey the laws and stuff. You know she's a stickler for that sort of thing. We should just make this simpler for her."

Zagreus looked down at her. "And what about for you?"

Dusa gave him a big smile. "I'm tougher than I look. I can take on anything."

"Even being married to me?" Zagreus asked, smirking.

"Even being married to you." Dusa then blushed and flustered. "I mean not that that would be a bad thing. Anyone would count themselves lucky to be engaged to you. You're a real catch Zagreus and don't you listen to what Meg says about you."

He frowned. "What Meg says about me? What does Meg say about me?"

"Nothing, nothing! We should go find your dad," Dusa quickened her step and was practically dragging Zagreus behind her.

Zagreus had to length his step to catch up with her. Maybe there was more to her than he'd realized.

* * *

Part of Dusa always found Hades’ office intimidating. Even when she was just cleaning it, she felt like she didn’t belong there. Now that she wasn’t cleaning and her boss was glaring down at her, all she wanted to do was run away. Especially with the blank stare Nyx gave her.

Zagreus didn’t seem to belong there either, but with the way he leaned against his father’s high desk, he looked like he didn’t care.

“Would you like to explain for what forsaken reason you’ve insisted on interrupting me?” Hades asked, not even looking up from his paperwork.

“Yes Father, I would,” Zagreus said. “I’d like for you and Nyx to be the first people I tell; Dusa and I are engaged to get married.”

A heavy silence hung over them. Hades put down his pen slowly and finally looked up. “My hearing must be fading. There is no possible way I heard you right,” he said, his voice booming. "It almost sounded like you were getting married."

"That's because we are, Father. I proposed, and Dusa said yes. Simple as that," Zagreus said.

"Simple as that? Do you even listen to yourself boy? You are even more witless than I thought if you're rushing about like that," Hades said.

Dusa wanted to shrink or float away. This was exactly what she didn't want. Hades was fair enough as a boss, but she was aware of the arguments he and Zagreus would get into. Some had even shaken the halls of the hotel.

"We're not rushing anything. We're getting married at the end of the month and that's that," Zagreus said straightening up.

"Child, you know I do not question your judgement," Nyx said, "but perhaps this requires more time to prepare for."

Zagreus shook his head. "No, we're getting married at the end of the month and nothing will change my mind."

Nyx frowned at this. "Did something happen, my child?" There was something weird but sweet of how Nyx addressed Zagreus. She was a strict boss, but it was obvious that she cared for Zagreus. Dusa almost wondered what it would be like to have a mother like that.

"Boy, you fool. Don't tell me you got her in a family way," Hades said more than a little exasperated.

"What?!" Dusa's hair nearly stood on end. "No! No, it's not like that at all! Zagreus and I haven't done anything like that yet! It's nothing like that at all! I'm fine."

Hades snorted. "Then are you cleaning someone else's mess?"

Zagreus bristled. His hands clenched into fists. "Father, you may insult me all you wish, but I must ask you to leave Dusa out of this. We're getting married because I love her, and for no other reason." But Dusa could sense that wasn't entirely true. Though, that may have just been because she already knew the truth.

"Then you are a bigger idiot than I had thought," Hades said. "She'll take advantage of you."

"I, I won't! I promise!" Dusa trembled. “Zagreus, he's too good to take advantage of."

Nyx gave her the smallest smile of approval. "It is true that Zagreus has more heart than sense, but I believe that this may be a fortuitous union. Perhaps, you should hurry along and begin your planning."

"Don't tell me you approve of this?" Hades asked.

"It's not up to us to approve or disapprove," Nyx said. "Refusal will just push him further away."

Zagreus shoved the desk as he stepped away from it(though he didn't budge it at all). "It's a bit late for that," he muttered so softly that only Dusa heard it.

Dusa followed him out hurrying to keep up with him. "Um, that didn't go well, did it?"

"Went as well as I could hope," Zagreus said. "I'm sorry that I dragged you into this, though. My family is a bit much."

"It's fine. My family or as much as you can call it that is much worse," Dusa.said. She frowned and paused. "Do you think he's right though? I mean, you are kinda cleaning up my mess. Maybe I am taking advantage of you."

Zagreus shook his head. "If any of us is taking advantage of someone, it's me."

"You?" Dusa stared at him. There was nothing that she could offer him.

"Yes, I didn't ask you to marry me for nothing. I really was telling you the truth when I said I need someone to act as proxy for hospitals and jails. I never want him to decide for me while I'm unconscious," Zagreus said. His expression turned dark.

Dusa bit her lip. There was something behind his frown, but she couldn't imagine what it was. "Um, but would I really be that much better? I mean, I don't know much about that sort of thing."

"It's fine," Zagreus said. "All I'd ask for is for you to ban him from my room."

"Um, I don't know if I could really do that. He is still my boss and everything," Dusa said.

Zagreus chuckled and smiled. "You may have a point there, but you could just blame it on the hospital, say that they are too strict about visitors. He knows all about that."

She stared up at Zagreus. "He does?"

"I was in and out of the hospital a lot when I was baby," Zagreus said. "According to Nyx, I was very sickly back then. They thought they were going to lose me a couple of times."

"Oh no, but you're okay now?" Dusa asked.

He nodded and flexed an arm. "That's right. All I really got as a souvenir from that time is my short height."

Dusa huffed. "You're not that short. You've got at least half a foot on me."

"Have you seen the rest of the staff here? We're the only ones under six foot. Well, maybe except for Hypnos, but I've never actually seen him stand up straight," Zagreus said. "But if I wasn't so sick back then, Nyx thinks I'd be closer to Father's height."

Going pale at the height, Dusa tilted her head back to the height he was suggesting. "That tall? I think I like you at this height."

Zagreus laughed. "Thank you for the vote of approval." He shook his head, still smiling. “So, next stop on the announcement tour is Hypnos right?”

“Yeah,” Dusa said. She sighed. “Here’s hoping it won’t be as bad.”

“It’s just Hypnos, how bad can it be?”

After a half an hour and promises to let Hypnos throw both her bridal shower and Zagreus’s bachelor party, they learned just how bad it could be.

**Author's Note:**

> I was in the mood to take a popular romance trope and make it platonic. Though please note that I am a weak woman and I may give in to making it shippy.
> 
> Title come from "White Wedding" by Billy Idol.


End file.
